Advantages

"None at all"

Disadvantages

Stupid

Unkind

Upsetting

Hurtful

Racism is wrong, stop doing it

Being racist makes no sense, I know people do it and it is awful but it makes no sense. Why discriminate against someone because of their race? How does that make them inferior to you? Answer, it doesn't.

And to say the famous words "I'm not racist, but..." is just a joke, firstly, if you were not racist, you would not need to say it because it would never be called into question an to add the "but" just lets people know they should stop listening to you because you are about to say something racist.

And to those that are saying we are "over-sensitive" about racism, we are not, if you have ever been the victim of racial abuse you will know how much it hurts. The general public are not over sensitive about race, the media simply whip people up into a frenzy and fan the flames of hatred, making people think that racism is not that big a deal.

I am an Indian woman so I have been subjected to a lot of racial abuse over the years and I can tell you it never gets any easier, you don't get used to it, and nor should you have to. Nobody should ever be made to feel in fear or under threat because of the colour of their skin or their country of birth, that is so fundamentally wrong!

Leave the racism to the likes of the BNP and UKIP and let the smart people get on with their multicultural and interesting lives in peace.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Another century brings another ethnic minority and the inevitable problems that accompany it.

I don't know about you, but I often think that anyone who starts a sentence with the line "I'm not racist but......" usually continues to dig themselves into a pit which quite clearly marks them out as being a racist, or rather more politely, in my own charmingly old fashioned terminology: prejudiced.

Yes, this is about racism, but surely it cannot have passed your notice that racism very often goes hand in hand with other prejudices including religion, homophobia, and even sex prejudice.

Why is this?

My simplistic theory, for what it is worth, is that as humans we are programmed to fear what we do not understand or have no experience of. Fear yes, but surely, also as humans, we should have intelligence enough not to turn that fear into bigotry and hatred?

As I said, it is a very simplistic theory and in an ideal world it should stand up, unfortunately none among us live in that ideal world, it is a theory tested on all sides by factors, generally, far beyond our control.

For very obvious reasons I hope that this "review":a) does not turn into a tirade and that b) having read it, you will not draw the conclusion that Richada is a racist.

MY BACKGOUND

I was born to white English parents in 1962, a very different era indeed, especially in the then "genteel" Home Counties. The world was so much larger then, the British Empire was still a vivid living memory for many, especially those retired in the very area in which I was bought up.

Indeed, our very own green and pleasant land actually ended at Watford Gap, beyond which the likes of "us" did not dare to venture.

Oh yes, Brighton had a smattering of Italians and Poles, even a few Chinese in the restaurant trade, but it was far from the cosmopolitan city that it has turned into during the last thirty years.

My father, particularly, grew up in frightfully middle class London suburbia before the Second World War and held very strong views.....somewhere to the right of Alf Garnet I used to think when I was in my young teens. Now in hindsight I realise his quite extreme views were only a reflection of his totally "white English" upbringing.

Until the age of nine, when I was set away to boarding school, I had no experience of "foreign" children at all, even holidaying in Austria and Italy we had not really come into contact with foreigners - merely staying aloof and maintaining that good old stiff upper lip.

At boarding school it was suddenly quite a novelty to be sharing dormitories and showers with boys (it was a single sex school) from all over the world. And do you know what? We were all exactly the same. No matter what the colour of our skin, nor even our native tongue, we were all in that same lonely boat together.

Quite unwittingly, my parents had sent me to a place that my father would have regarded as hell. My best friend was Jamaican; I had friends also from Ghana, Holland, America and one, oh yes, from Guildford!

This is indeed the only aspect of boarding school that I now, over thirty years later, feel REALLY benefited me - after six years I, nor any other boy that had been there at the time, could have walked out of that place a racist.

Returning to Brighton for the last two years of my education was a bit of a shock, the Sixth Form College here at that time seemed a very select establishment by comparison, I do not believe that any of my year were actually born more than about four miles away from the very building in which they were studying!

During the years that followed, my career brought me into contact with many nationalities in far too many situations and circumstances to go into here. I have actually suffered from "inverse racism", as I call it, on a couple of occasions, but more often than not it was the shocking and unexpected reaction of some of my older colleagues that really took me by surprise.

Inverse racism? Yes, one, totally lazy individual - "the world's laziest man" I used to refer to him as. Never done a stroke of work in 30 years, but that, at the very hint of a request to carry out a task would retort "you're only asking me to do that because of the colour of my skin", there was no way around it, director after director attempted to oust him, but with no success whatsoever.

With the approach of the current century our business had no choice but to become far more cosmopolitan - our largest customer started sub-contracting work around the globe - Malaysia, Australia, Poland, to name just a few. This lead to an extraordinary and life changing "happening" in my life, in 2000, I met a beautiful young Polish tool buyer over the telephone; we fell in love and were married the following year.

I rather hope that this preamble and my "international marriage" status will give some balance to the following paragraphs.

MY OPINION

Oh dear, heading into really deep water here now, I will try not to actually, but these are my own very personal views and 2008 was the year in which they actually crystallised in a sense.

Two completely divergent factors for us came together to throw into sharp focus the cause of racism in this country. I cannot speak about it in broader terms than nationally, as that is all that I have experience in.

The two "factors" are the recent and rapid growth of the predominantly young Catholic Polish community right here in Brighton, and the largely Muslim, Asian community in the north west of England - and I am going to highlight Nelson in Lancashire here - although many of the mill towns of that area are similarly populated ethnically.

Starting up in Nelson, we spent four days, on business, in the area back in late October - a whole day actually working in and around Nelson itself. Those not involved in the engineering industry may not realise quite how strong this sector of industry still is in today's depressed economic climate. Many small engineering companies and toolmakers are working flat out up in Lancashire to satisfy the demands, primarily, of the aerospace industry.

To me, as a southerner, this is an honest "working" area of the country, an area where extreme Pennine beauty rubs shoulders with grimy, rather old fashioned industry. It is an area where the industrial revolution took off thanks to the Victorian cotton mills, which in their day attracted huge numbers of cheap, largely Asian, immigrants. Driving around the area in 2008 we felt as never before the "them and us" factor, and it was in Nelson that I actually voiced for the first time my observation to my wife;

"I wonder why you never see mixed groups standing around chatting here?" It was lunch time in Nelson and there were groups of maybe six Asians standing around on street corners quite happily passing the time of day. At 3.00pm on those same street corners there was not an Asian in site, only the odd lone white person.

The point that I am rather clumsily trying to make here is that after well over 100 years, the two groups simply are not integrated, large parts of Nelson are "little Asia". Obviously I was not around when the mill workers arrived in Lancashire......

......but fascinatingly, I was very much around, and in a sense, right in the "thick of it" when, about five years ago, the large influx of Poles first took place in my own home town.

My Polish wife came here in 2001 and married me before Poland became part of the EEC. By choice she fully integrated with English society, although obviously retains deep roots in Poland. Our home here is a happy fusion of English and Polish culture.

Through our local church, we have an elderly female Polish friend, who following capture by the Nazi's lost everything and was eventually shipped to England - traded for her brother who was forced to labour for the Germans, she never saw him again. Arriving here not speaking a word of English, she later married an Englishman and brought up her family here. She has very strong views, views which I actually find myself increasingly sharing, about immigrants, of all nationalities, integrating into the country in which they choose to settle. So strongly does she feel about this, that she will actually refuse to speak in Polish to any of our Polish guests who are capable of speaking English. I am often amused by the fact that she speaks in English to my wife - even if I am not in their company!

In the case of Polish workers coming here, the majority have a surprisingly good command of English language. One tends to expect this to improve once they live in England. In one notable case of my acquaintance, due to living in an entirely Polish household and only associating socially with Poles, her English has actually become progressively worse during the past year.

Our elderly Polish friend's views are, in my opinion at least, formed by circumstance, age and wisdom. Regrettably they are not shared by the majority of, much younger, foreign nationals entering this country, all too many of whom wish to extract the benefits that we have to offer, whilst making no effort to integrate whatsoever with society here.

Many of these immigrants, or migrant workers as they start out, no matter how well educated, are simply not well adjusted to living and working abroad. I am of the mind that exactly the same path was trodden by the Asian mill workers in the Victorian era as is now being followed by the recent, and continuing, influx of Eastern Europeans who are currently here merely to work.

Just as their forebears, many are attracted to this country by the idea that the streets are paved with gold. Many that come here are actually not very bright intellectually, cannot speak a word of English and are at once prey to fellow countrymen acting virtually as slave masters.

I often wonder what it must be like for many who get off a bus at Victoria Coach Station, having travelled over a thousand miles across Europe, only to be faced with the stark realisation that not a single word is written in their native tongue.

Seeing one fully developed ethnic minority (very much a majority in the area in which they live) in Nelson, albeit a much smaller and less cosmopolitan centre than Brighton, leaves me with an uneasy feeling about my wife's compatriots here in my own town.

Just like the Asians in Victorian times, the Poles are a willing (usually more skilled and educated too) workforce who have filled a lot of mundane jobs that English people simply regard as inferior or too poorly paid. Initially this may well be seen to our advantage, although personally I feel that in many cases they are carrying out work so far below their capabilities that this in itself will lead to problems eventually.

As we all know, there is far more to life than purely work, you cannot keep any section of the community imprisoned in their work twenty-four seven. Many Poles draw comfort from and build a life around their local (Polish) church. Most towns of any size where there is a Polish community have a Polish priest conducting a Polish Mass. Unusually, here in Brighton, thanks to a still strong ex-pat Polish community after the Second World War, that actually pre-dates the falling of the borders.

However, the old Polish priest is now gone - replaced by the "new guard". Indeed the elderly War evacuees have now been totally swamped by 18 to 25 year old Poles who have arrived over the last five years. It is a young and vibrant community now, centred in an area close to the centre of the city, the very good Polish shop on one side, the charming old English church in which the Polish Mass is held on the other.

98% of Poles are Catholic and obviously the Catholic church in England has, quite naturally, very much welcomed this considerable swelling of its ranks here. Understandable as that is, unfortunately, from what I have witnessed, it is also actually furthering the segregation of the Polish community. My wife and I were both shocked at the Polish priests' very obvious disapproval of my wife's' attendance at English Mass in her local community, rather than in "his" Polish church. Such a pity our elderly Polish friend was not in attendance at that meeting, I rather suspect that the priest would not have had any legs left to stand on!

Apart from on purely racial grounds, what possible motivation could a priest have for separating husband and wife in worship I wonder?

Regrettably, until the powers that be - in the Polish case, the church - start actually "preaching" integration, we are rapidly heading for yet another minority, foreign speaking and living "enclave" within English society.

There are some that will tell you that this will only be a temporary situation, that all of our guest workers will go home to start a prosperous new life in their own countries. Had we been in Nelson 150 years ago, I am sure that we would have been hearing exactly the same thing.

Integration is not a one way street. It is a mutually beneficial process, unlike in 1962, or 1862 come to that, the world is a very small place now, a very cosmopolitan place, we either choose to integrate or, by nature of circumstance, continue, through no positive choice of our own, to become ever more racist.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nothing good comes out of it

If you go around schools, colleges, universitys, work places and even the streets in Britain, you will find at least one racist.Why this is ? Well I'm not to sure, if you ask you get the very common answer either that they just are, or they say they aren't a racist... yeah you can't really say this after you make a horrible remark about someone.HOWEVER, yeah sometimes people do say "I'm not a racist" even though they aren't some times you feel the need to say it because well.. it can be automatic to say it, just to make sure people don't find it in an offensive way. Of course as I said you can only say that your not racist if you didn't say anything hurtful or offensive to or about anyone.

There has been things on the news that as soon as people hear them, they commonly blame someone who is a Muslim, you ask them why they jump to conclusions, there answer is always "because they've done it before". If they actually looked at loads of things that have happened in Britain or other parts of the world, and it has happened by someone who is white, yes they get hated but not as much as anyone else of a different race.

Now also people don't seem to notice this much but I do. My boyfriend is Hispanic, so him and his family are tan, but they are still white if that makes any sence, but when people see a picture of him or a brother/sister or his parents, there EXACT words every time are "why is he/she black?".That should not be the question being asked, it should be "why does it matter if he is?". Because it shouldn't at all matter to anyone if he's black or white.

People also shouldn't think that just because a parent is racist, that the child is too, that isn't true most of the time, but yes that does happen but not always.

If people start a sentence with "I'm not a racist but..." they usually are other wise they would have no need to point out that they aren't one nor would they be saying something that would mistake them for one.And if you are racist, a lot of people will loose their respect for you.

Why should it matter the colour of someones skin or their beliefs and backgrounds ?.Exactly, there is no answer, therefor there is no reason to feel like that about anyone.

Everyone is human no matter if they are white, oriental, Latino/Hispanic, black etc.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

N/A

Has much of the British population become overly sensitive when it comes to other peoples races and cultures, to the extent where they're in great fear of being seen as racist? My answer would be a catergoric yes.

Being a a quarter malaysian, a quarter chinese and half caucasian, i find just about every person i meet is intrigued by my "ethnic background". Brought up in a predominantly white community, throughout my school and college life, i've often been faced with pretty much the same question; "No offence, but, like, well, erm where are you from?" To which i answer "England." "Oh right i see, so erm, like where are your parents from?" The no offence seems to imply there is something wrong with being a different race. If i didnt know any better, i would probably get offended. But i know the ironically insensitive wording of the question is perhaps fuelled from the fear that they may well be percieved as racist, for enquiring about peoples ethnicities. Which, i can sort of empathise with. I have, for some unknown reason, felt uncomfortable and awkward asking about peoples race. Why? I dont know, maybe because of the over politically correct society we live in.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

To be a racist is the next step to harming people of colour,religion or ethnicity

Sooner or later the truth comes out.In a class full of white people being one of the very few black or asian people from India,Pakistan or Bangladesh the truth and feelings eventually come out.Whether during a group project discussion about what people in uk wear in spring a white girl stating "Well asians wear jeans" or the glares,ignoring and criticising someone colored while staying silent when a white person does the same thing is proof of racism.Not to mention the tabloids and television always talking about the rise in asians in U.K while deeply ignoring the fact of millions of Polish,French,German,Italian,Norweighian,Aussies,Finland,U.S.A and other parts of Europe settling here.After all they are white so they are part of U.K. culture.Not to mention the stares and takebacks when someone's name is asked and it's a Muslim name.Also when at a social gathering full of white people or living in a student hall full of drinkers and someone from India,Pakistan or Bangladesh being the only person not drinking being ignored or pressurised into drinking.Racism is not just about colour but religion and culture as well.In university halls in U.K they put up notices stating any racism will be challenged and when complaints are made absolutely nothing is done.There is always talk about a modern society with no room for racism when the truth is there are more racists today and the number is increasing alarmingly rather than decreasing and in one of the most multicultural places like U.K for that to exist is dangerous to coloured people everywhere in U.K.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

time to take responsibility for yourself and stop blaming other people

This whole topic makes me feel pretty uncomfortable!

When people start a sentence with "im not racist..." they pretty much always follow it with a racist statement.

Not to say that that is the case with the reviews under this topic, although some have made my eyes bulge a bit.

People, generally daily mail reader types, get very annoyed about the idea of foreigners moving into the UK. There are good reasons for this, but the sad truth is most of the people complaining know absolutely nothing about the economy of our country or the effects migration and immegration really have.

And many of them are the same people who would love to retire to Spain one day.

I wonder what these people would think if they went on holiday and a local made some comment about them being british or about how they hate tourists? I don't think they would say 'well i see your point because....'.

It's a worry for anyone unemployed, myself included, that there is competition for jobs. But i have never for a second thought 'I'd have a job if it wasn't for the Polish'. The idea disgusts me to be frank. We all live in this world and thanks to our fantastic European system we are all free to come and go as we please.

I think it's very sad that so many people feel forced to leave their countries and move here for a better way of life. It would be great if the government could work on a solution for this. But in the mean time imagine if you were left in such a desperate state that you had to move out of britain just to feed your children? then imagine when you got where you were going you weren't welcome, even to work in a local supermarket, because you were 'stealing' local jobs.

If foreigners are getting jobs in industries because they are willing to work long hours for no pay then that is indeed worrying. For them - not for us. I'm sure if you want an awful job like that you can get one.

So perhaps next time instead of saying 'if they don't like it they can get out' maybe you should think 'this is the way it is in Britain and has been for decades, so if i don't like it I'LL get out'.

Obviously it's OKAY to have an opinion on race without being a racist, but I think it's important for people to consider all the facts without speaking.

2 weeks ago I was in the pub when a couple of guys struck up conversation. One of them ACTUALLY SAID 'I'm not a racist but you know the credit crunch, it's all because of the Jews'.

These are the sort of dangerous, idiotic feelings of hate that ignorant people can come up with when they don't really know what they're talking about but want to sound clever about something.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

No ifs, no buts

I'm not racist, but...But nothing. I'm not racist - I've never been competitive. In fact the only sport I really like is football and there's not much racing involved in that I suppose. What there is in football though, is a large influx of 'Johnny Foreigner'.Just like real life.

For the last year, I've been working on one of those PPP thingies - y'know, where a private firm makes a whacking great profit from future tax-payers. But I'm sure that it's no different to many working places today in that it almost seems that the majority of employees don't have English as their first language. I know from anecdotal evidence that this is certainly true of the construction industry.

It sometimes feels like the UN at work. I'm more likely to hear Portuguese or Punjabi than Scots or English...there's even a large contingent of Brummies! This isn't a problem as such, but what is a problem is that most of the (let's say 'non British passport holders') are paid a lower rate than their native counterparts. This seems a little dodgy to me.

I accept that contractors have to get the best return on their investment etc., but there's another side to this.

As I said, many of these foreign workers, although generally very hard working, don't speak English. Not at all. Not a word. As you can imagine, this makes for a very confusing workplace. It's hard enough trying to understand someone from a different part of the country sometimes, especially in a noisy atmosphere, but just consider the implications.Many jobs allocated to foreign workers are explained in a sort of pidgin-English-helped-along-with-hand-signs-kinda-way.Not the best way to run a multi-million pound contract.

What this means is that things have to be repeatedly explained and then, quite often re-done because a misunderstanding took place (quelle surpise).

It also raises safety issues. How do you warn someone of certain hidden dangers in Polish?

As I said, I'm not racist and these people have a legitimate right to be here (as we Brits have of being there) but it seems to me that some sort of thought should have went into how we were going to cope with the massive rush of foreign workers.The government will tell us that it's good for the economy, but I don't swallow that. As already mentioned, foreign workers are generally being paid less and this will inevitably lead to a fall in wages.Most foreign workers aren't coming here to settle, they come to earn (what is for them) fantastic wages and send it back home. Earning less means that they'll pay less tax so less goes into the coffers of our government.

So who benefits?Well, the foreign workers are able to earn more than they could back home but the main beneficiaries are the contractors who lower their wage bill and maximise their profits.

I'm not racist, but it seems to me that although EU citizens have freedom of movement and employment, I can't for the life of me understand how it's possible to work in a country where you don't even have a primitive grasp of the language.It all just seems to me like the gold rush of the Yukon or something - a mad race for plum jobs in Britland (pun intended), and a mad race for increased profit and a mad race into dangerous working practices.

Having said all that, I don't have a problem with any of the foreign workers I encounter (well, one or two, but that's because they're wankers, not because they're foreign) and in general get on great with them, especially a crowd of Punjabis who bring in the most amazing packed lunches!

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

ban them

Shouldn't the government be doing more checks when employing skill workers from abroad.

Which other country in the world will accept doctors who normally work to save lives attempting to kill people to fulfil their moral duty to their god or whatever belief they have.

Lot of doctors and nurses are recruited from abroad to meet skill shortage. However as recent events have indicated, driving vehicles into airports is not what I expect of doctors and nurses. These people worked for NHS with access to hundereds of patients and drugs which can cause damage. Bearing this in mind I don't think it is inappropriate to stop recruiting from Muslim countries which have problems with extremists. The ban could last for 5-10 years until the Al Queeda problem goes away.

There is bound to be more problems caused by members of Al Queeda members. Thousands went to training camps in the North of Pakistan and they are now working in every sector of the industry.

Travel to areas where terrorists have training camps should also be banned.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

this is why you are a racist!

yes you are. racist technically just means you can recognize different races.discrimination in certain affairs thereafter is bad. we shouldnt run away from the fact that were different. but instead we should just realise its not a big deal. stop looking for error in everything. such cynism if shared by enough people allow stupid things to happen. i wont bother to illustrate this. things arent that bad. there are many many more law abiding citizens of different races than there are thieves and murderers. look upon the positive. take it easy. realise that very few crimes are commited by shear evil but rather due to poverty. there is no need to take my advice. just open your eyes.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Just a thought

I would not consider myself a racist by any stretch of the imagination, but I have found myself of late seriously re-considering my position. I can't help but feel that we should all no matter of colour or creed make greater efforts to live together. By this I mean together in the more general term, since I have also found that in this multi cultural society we now call Britain we as a nation are seriously starting to lose our identity as it slowly but surely mibles with those who have joined our community. In itself I do not have any issues with different nationalities joining us and helping us make this a better Britain, but I do have severe reservations about all the changes in Political Correctness which are linked to this issue. I do believe that should anyone wish to up roots and move to another country they should be prepared to abide by the laws of said country and indeed live as a member of that community. Over the last decade or so our national identity has been slowly whittled away by ever changing laws which chip away at the very fabric of being British. Silly little things like removing Merry Christmas from cards so as not to offend any other religion. I certainly do not wish to offend anyone or any group of people but the bottom line is WE ARE A CHRISTIAN community and should therefor be able and allowed to live as such without any intrusions from anyone who has upped their roots and moved here. By the same token they should also be able to live their lives as they wish and worshipping in their preffered church. This is after all our country and we do seem to be changing traditional values to suit thses visitors. Accomodate them YES but bowing to ever little whim that they might find a bit offensive is wrong. They must learn to live with us not us with them. We should all be able to live together without too much trouble if we all make an affort but we also must ALL be able to keep our indentites, our traditions and our way of life. Sometimes I just wish for the old days when things seemed so much simpler, I have no strong opions on religion either way, but do believe we all have the right to believe in and live our lives as we choose providing this does not interfere with anyone else and that we do not proceed to force our values on them. Having said this if one chooses to move to another country you are partially giving up this right to live as part of the new community. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but i do not see any reason why we should give up values and traditions which have been part of our heritage for centuries, just to accomodate visitors who if we were to move to their country make it blatantly clear that it's their rules and their rules only. Sorry my foreign friends but you can't have you cake and eat it too. This review is not intended to offend anyone in anyway and if it has I apologise in advance, I am simply airing my right to free speech and voicing my humble opinion.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

I'm a chinese, I really think the UK government is a bit over about the racism issue, blackboard is blackboard, indian is indian, black guy is black guy, they should pround of themself. I'm very pround of my skin color. That is not possible to baned the chinese new year activities in china hahaha....

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

You are welcome here but accept our values and our way of life

I would like to say first and foremost that I completely understand why people would want to emigrate to another country to find a better life for themselves and their families, I would do it myself if I thought it was necessary.

It doesnt matter about their colour or creed providing that, if they come here they accept our way of life and they make a contribution to this country, after all it is this country that is providing them with the better life that they are seeking.

But if they come here to find a better life then they must accept that better life and not try and change the values and culture that have been developed over centuries of war and struggles fought for by untold masses of British men and women who laid down their lives to preserve our freedom and our way of life, it this freedom and culture that has provided the lifestyle and affluence that has attracted them here in the first place

We are already seeing the erosion of one of our most precious values, FREEDOM OF SPEECH; we can no longer say what we think if it may offend someones religion or race, we can no longer tell jokes about different races or religions.

There is a quotation by somebody that always sticks in my mind

"I may disagree totally with what you are saying but I will defend to the death your right to say it

This no longer applies as many have found out in the courts.

The most worrying trend coming from the influx of immigrants is the total inflexibility of the fundamentalist Muslims.

They have come to this country either for a better life or to escape persecution in their own country and yet they wish to change this countrie's values to that of the one they have escaped from. They hate democracy because this allows people to disagree with their views. They hate freedom of speech because this enables people to criticise their beliefs. They hate the equality of women because this might challenge their belief of the dominant male role. They wish to exterminate Gay people because this offends their religious beliefs. They hate the sexual freedom that exists in this country and would love to stone a few women to death for adultery.

Salmon Rushdie is still in hiding because he wrote a book that offended the fundamentalists and now they are calling for the Pope to be murdered because he has offended their religion

My opinion is that if this country and its culture and way of life offends you so much, please take advantage of one of our other great freedoms, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE. We did not force you to come here, you chose to come so accept our way of life or clear off

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

This is for MY country.

Im A Brit And Proud Of It, So Explain To Me Why I Should Die or Bringing A Whole New Meaning To Throwing The Holy Hand Grenade.

Official - Britain is not a multicultural society.

Finally, someone has had the bollocks to stand up, be counted, and state the obvious. That is, we do not live in a multicultural society here in Britain. We never have done, nor will a multicultural Britain exist in the future. The whole multicultural myth is just an impossible dream (lie?) fed to us by groups of academically proficient, right-thinking, politically correct liberal buffoons: and it is this rosy tinted view of the world that has left us in a growing state of fear and paranoia. A sad state of affairs for these islands and their people to be in. Especially when you look at the history of the British and the fact that weve always mixed well with other people no mater what their creed or colour.

Let us get one thing clear from the very start. Great Britain (including the Irish) is the freest nation on earth. Despite what the minority of right-on left thinking politico activists might say, the Brits have the most liberal society on earth. Envied by many, hated by a few, desired by all

There is also one other thing the Brits offer that the world wants: asylum. Many people have come here to escape death and persecution. They have come from many parts of the world, and are of many different creeds, colours and faiths. Britain has allowed them in and embraced them; protected them and made them welcome, in some cases, to the detriment of her own indigenous population. More recently, with the expansion of the European Community, Britain has welcomed many from Eastern Europe as economic migrants looking for work.

In short, people have loved to come to Britain for eons. For whatever reason. Some of our social commentators (chatterers?) have described Britain as a bit of a cultural melting pot. However the question has to be asked, have we Brits ever had a genuinely multicultural society, or is it just a society that tolerates a multitude of cultures? I suspect it is the later, and has forever been so. And we havent done so badly out of it either.

That is, until now.

Unfortunately, things have changed. With the war in Iraq and Afghanistan polarising our society and a simmering resentment still felt over the issue of the British Empire, the indigenous British population finds itself increasingly under attack. Not only are we attacked personally, but our entire way of life cops a lot of flack. Our history is blamed for a multitude of foreign domestic and international ills, passed and present, whether its relevant or not. To many, to be a Brit is to be a pariah by another name. The tragedy of all this antagonism is the fact that the majority of Brits, and I include myself here, couldnt care less one way or the other what other people did or do.

And what do we get for our welcoming generosity? Blown up.

I feel it is time to stop and think; to re-evaluate ourselves and our Britishness. But above all, I think it is time that we grasped the nettle and started showing pride in the fact that we are Brits again. Today, we find ourselves living in a country that forbids its own children to wear the national teams football or rugby shirt for fear of upsetting ethnic minorities; a country where we are but a step away from banning celebrating Christian festivals because we will offend people of other minority faiths. This despite the United Kingdom being, if not Christian, then certainly a secular nation. Its taken thousands of bloody years for Britain to be where it is today, and I think its time we remembered that and showed a bit of pride in it. Lets get a bit of back bone again and stand up for what we believe.

There has been much talk of people being alienated within our society. There is much wringing of hands and navel gazing trying to find an answer to the problem of young British born Muslims who feel they are not part of British society.

I do not understand why these youngsters are so upset. There is work and benefits. You dont see many Muslim homeless do you? They have freedom of speech and are free to practice whatever religion they want, are they not? If the Brits are so bad, how is it we allow people to create their own schools to educate their children in their own faiths? There are not many Muslim countries that would tolerate minorities calling for minority law to be used, as has be the case with the calls recently to conform to Shia law.

I could go on, but my basic question is this; if these people can do nothing but criticize Britain and the British, why are they still here? Why dont they bugger off to the countries that have the laws British Muslims want to live by? Saudi Arabia perhaps, or Syria or even Iran?

Heres something to ponder. Imagine the reaction if an ethnic minority British population created trouble in say, Iran. I dread to think what would happen if they dared to insist on a cathedral being built.

Heres another thought. Remember the cartoons that caused all hell to break loose. Well how come they can get away with ripping into Christian Saints and Gods, oops sorry, God?

Ysee. Up until recently, I was not particularly bothered about all this religious and nationalistic rubbish. I cannot hate people just because they are black or they hail the wrong gods etc (And no, none of my friends are coloured or of other religions. No such crass clichés here!). To be honest, I have far too many of other things in my own life to be getting on with to be wasting time worrying about what other folk are doing. In short, I just could not give a damn.

HOWEVER, since our young Muslim friends have started blowing innocent, British people up on buses and trains, Im afraid my attitude has become more jingoistic. And Im not convince that these actions are taken for reasons of faith either. I mean, I could be wrong but I cannot remember anyone calling for Jihad. I think its all just done out of pure wickedness. Its just down right evil.

I am not happy, not happy at all, knowing that in a bed-sit buried deep in one of our cities; a gang of nasty little ejits with heads full of Koranic zealotry are planning to kill me. And they dont even know my name. Not only are they planning to kill me, the bastards want to wipe out entire planeloads of other Brits too. Worse, there is a nasty little man in a dessert telling them what to do and he doesnt know my name either. The fact that I really dont want to die for someone else beliefs seems to be lost on them all

Imagine the furore if there suddenly appeared an active militant extremist Christian terrorist cell operating in Syria. Ill tell you, the phrase all hell breaking loose wouldnt come anywhere near describing the mess. It would bring a whole new meaning to throwing the Holy Hand Grenade though, wouldnt it?

I dont care if these people have been born here. I still think that if they are not happy then they should return to the land of their parents. Third generation British Muslims? So what? Just go away and leave the rest of us to live in peace. These folk would do well to remember that by their actions, they are making life a lot harder for people who genuinely want to come here, and for those who are already here and just want to get on with things.

Actually, it would be interesting to find out just how many have parents or grandparents who are here legitimately, wouldnt it?

They should think themselves lucky. The French and Germans have no qualms about throwing people out of the country at the slightest inclination. Maybe us Brits should take a leaf our of their book eh?

I think it is time for the British to take a hard line. Anyone found to be creating trouble or breaking laws should be thrown out. By all means, give them the benefit of a fair trial. But if found guilty, they should be ejected from the country. Pronto. No questions asked. I wouldnt even throw them in gaol. That would be just a waste of money. Just get them out of the country. British born? No problem, send them back to where their parents or grandparents came from. Easy as that.

I am a Brit and proud of it. I am proud of my queen, Elizabeth II. I am proud of my government (ok, they are all bent fuckwits, but they are still my bent elected fuckwits) and I am proud that I live in the oldest democracy in the world. I am proud of my flags, the Union Jack and the Cross of St George. I am proud that our police donot carry guns whilst on the beat. But most of all, I am proud of who I am, and the part my family have played in over fifteen hundred years of this nations history. A history, I may point out, that some would die for (yes George W! Im talking about you) and some that have done trying to emulate (Hitler and Napoleon to name but a few).

And if people dont like it, they can jolly well bugger off.

What seems to have been forgotten about multiculturalism is that it cannot be enforced. If you look back in history youll see that it happens anyway. The human being is a tribal species. Racism and the urge to congregate in groups are natural urges. But like all other natural urges, it will adapt and change if we let it. No amount of political correctness will ever change that. It just takes time and patience.

Am I being a redneck? Could I possibly be a racist bigot? Well no, I dont think so. I couldnt care less what people do, say or look like so long as they dont get in my way. I talk to who ever I choose and Ill say what I think.

As Ive said, I greatly resent the fact that someone somewhere in MY country wants to kill me. And weve never met. I dont like being bullied. Simple as that. It will be more than likely that itll be me who will be the white Brit native and not the witless numbnuts with the bomb. And if thats being redneck, then so be it.

Multiculturism is a failure. Thank the Lord for small mercies. Now maybe the do-gooding idiots who thought up the whole idea will leave the rest of us alone to get on with each other and live in peace.

Multiculturism? No no no. Not recommended. A great idea in a utopian world. But someone would still have to clear up the dinosaur shit. Here and now? No, the impossible dream of idiots.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Look at the individual, not their race or colour or cultural background.

Today being branded racist can occur for any minor comment or action, which years ago would have been unnoticed. It is political correctness gone mad.

Did the Irish immigrants to Britain take offence at them being referred to as "paddies"? I know a lot of Irish and they all laugh at such remarks.

People of Afro Carribean origin blend in with our society, despite the obvious difference in the colour of their skin.

No, I think it is religion and cultural differences that make people call others "racist." We in Britain are pandering to the minorities by allowing them to dilute our traditional values.

When I was at school every day we had to have an assembly, where we sang a hymn and said the Lord's Prayer. What happens now is that schools are obliged to have "daily worship", this is to pander to those who are not Christian. But it also means that many children receive no religious instruction unless they are muslim. Muslim parents insist on their children attending religious lessons after school.

I have friends of many different races and religions, none of them take offence at comments about their colour/race. Indeed, one of them was intrigued when I mentioned that "nigger brown" used to be perfectly acceptable as a description of a colour of clothes and he cannot understand why it is now deemed unacceptable.

I know there are ignorant people who are very racist but they should get to know people of other races/colours and when they see them as individuals, the colour of their skin or religion or cultural difference will cease to be noticed.

However, I do think that people who choose to live in Britain should respect our traditional values and try to integrate, rather than impose their beliefs onto us. In other words "When in Rome...."

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Yes, we are all different. Now get over it!

One thing that I have noticed about race / discrimination issues is how racist "non-racist" people can be (just to save my fingers, I will use race as an all encompassing definition of discrimination, intolerance etc), and I would like to recount a few events in my life that demonstrate this.

My first encounter with racist issues was at college. We were told that blackboards were to be referred to as chalkboards or writing boards. The reason? So that ethnic minorities would not feel offended. Excuse me? What person in their right mind would feel offended by referring to a blackboard by its colour? It's a board and it is black. It is called a blackboard because of that. It was not called a blackboard just to p*ss off people in the future. It probably never even entered the mind of the person who first called it a blackboard that someone would take the word to be offensive. So why he hell should it not be called a blackboard? Incidentally, the whiteboards that we had could still be called that (though some people did see the discrepancy and would tut if it was not called a dry-wipe board).

Another example of race stupidity occurred when I was working in a call centre (explains stupidity, then) for an insurance company. I wrote a report on one of our repairing garages and was immediately summoned to the managers office after it was read by her for breach of the companys anti-discrimination code by using the word niggardly. There I sat, listening to her rant and rave for 10 minutes before being invited to defend myself and explain why I should not be on a level 3 disciplinary for calling black people niggers. I tried and tried to explain that the word meant mean or stingy and even got a dictionary to prove it. But now it did not matter what the word meant (or that, in fact the only mention of a person in the report was the name of a manager  never mind the skin colour). What was important now was that the word niggardly looked like the word nigger. I pointed out that it doesnt look like it at all. I then happily pulled out a few official documents and insisted that the words bigger and jigger (garage speak for some device) be banned straight away. The absurdity of this became apparent, and I hoped the manager would get my meaning, but no. In total, 5 whole working days involving 8 people were used up to clear myself of being racist.

Two other incidents highlight the insanity and damage of political correctness. One is the the recent case of 2 schoolboys hauled before the courts to face the full majesty of the law for calling each other racist names. For sanitys sake, THEIR KIDS!!! Kids call each other names, fall out and become friends again. Kids can be nasty little sods, and will use a word that causes the most pain, be it fatty, speccy four eyes (as I was called quite often) or whatever. In this case, the words were paki and white trash. But this does not matter. I doubt that the kids understood the words they used. They simply picked words that they knew would cause the most upset to the other. By making an issue of it, the police simply reaffirmed the difference between kids of two different races. Instead of prosecuting, a quick clip round the ear and a stop being so stupid message would have been so much better. But no. The difference was highlighted. The kids are now aware that an inconsequential matter of skin colour now means something quite consequential. Left to their own devices, skin colour would not matter in the future  they would grow up to be people. Now they will be white and asian.

The other incident involves the banning of Christian festivities by schools and councils for fear of offending other religions. To me, the biggest offence that I can see are these secularists using other religions as a beating-stick to Christianity. Of the people I know who are not Christian, not one of them feels offended by Christmas (in fact, 2 muslims celebrate it). Hindi, Islam, Judaism (sorry if I got the words wrong!) are being used as an excuse for the hatred of a small minority of their own religion, country and culture. Nowhere else in the world is the native religion / culture suppressed with such vigour. Indeed, in some cultures, you would be hung for such a thing. It has nothing to do with racism, just stupidity and a dislike of their own culture.

The last one is from a call I had from a customer who wanted to speak to a certain person he had spoken to before (with no details on the computer, I could not see who this was). What he said just numbed me.Customer I dont know her name but she sounded, erm, . well coloured.Me Sorry???Customer She sounded like she was colouredMe (flabberghasted) What does a colour sound like?Customer I only meant that she wasnt EnglishMe You could be talking about anyone, cant I help?Customer Look, I dont give a f**k what her F***ing colour is  she sounded like a paki, now stop f**king around and put the stupid b**ch on  Youll probably find her in some f***ing place like IndiaMe (shouting) If you think that you can speak to me or to anyone else like that, no. Call back when youve learned some manners.

At that point I put the phone down and was promptly called (again) to the managers office for, apparently, being abusive to customers!

People are different, and the difference is evident in culture, practices, faith, skin colour etc. It is there for all to see. But those differences should not matter. Jobs offered should not be offered regardless of race, gender, sex, disability etc.  they should be offered on the basis of ability to do the job. By using a whole list of categories, we only highlight differences between people. By barring the use of word black, or by banning religious festivals (or renaming them) we only cheapen language, cheapen ourselves and create hostility towards others. When people nervously describe someone as coloured, they are showing the lack of comfort with difference between people. If you want to say someone is black, or English or Chinese, then say it! If you wanted to identify the only person in a group who had a beard, you may say "the guy with the beard" if that is the most obvious feature. If the "unique" person is black, you may say "the black guy there", again if it is the most obvious feature. I laught when I see people trying to refer to someone who is racially different, but will go out of their way to avoid using that difference for fear of causing offence or appearing racist. Its not a crime to call someone by what they are. The crime is treating that person differently because of it.